Mathematical language can heighten the imagery of a poem; mathematical structure can deepen its effect. Feast here on an international menu of poems made rich by mathematical ingredients . . . . . . . gathered by JoAnne Growney.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Taking Stock

Developing an inventory -- of what we have or have experienced, of what we see or imagine -- inevitably involves numbers and counting. As in "Inventory" by Canadian poet Colin Morton, an adaptation or "free translation" of "Inventaire" by Jacques Prevert. Morton has a strong connection to mathematics -- his son is a mathematician at the Technical University of Lisbon.

Inventory by Colin Morton

one lump of rock two houses three ruined foundations four gravediggers one garden some flowers one beaver

one dozen oysters one beetle one loaf of bread one hour of sunshine one volcano four horsemen

one door with doormat one man waving his purple heart

another beaver one sculptor with a welding torch one maple leaf two lovers on a large bed one canvasser one chair three Christmas turkeys

one cabinet minister one carbuncle one wasp one kidney stone one racing form one hippie two nuns three grasshoppers two of the neighbour's apples one whalebone corset one Queen Anne chair

one shilling (George the second) two shillings (George the third) three shillings (George the fourth) one illegible penny one ball of string two safety pins one elderly gentleman one winged victory one accountant one man of the world two surgeons three vegetarians

one cannibal one colonial expedition both ends of a horse an ounce of prevention one tse tse fly one surf 'n' turf one Japanese garden one Macintosh apple one monocle one mountie one orphan one iron lung one day of glory one week of happiness one month of Diana one terrible year two minutes of silence one second's inattention and ...

five or six beavers

one little boy who goes to school crying one little boy who leaves school laughing one ant two arrowheads seventeen bison one judge on vacation sitting on the accused one landscape with a lot of green in it one cow one bull two loves of the century three grand pianos one veal cutlet one Waterloo sun one seltzer bottle one cheap rose one tom thumb one phony excuse one statue of liberty one rope ladder

two sisters of mercy three dimensions twelve apostles a thousand and one nights thirty-two positions five cardinal points six corners of the world seven deadly sins a few hectares of snow two fingers of one hand ten drops with each meal thirty days in detention fifteen in solitary five minutes intermission and ...

Contact JoAnne Growney: wow(at)joannegrowney(dot)com.

JoAnne Growney is available for presentations -- readings, workshops, interactive lectures -- and collaborations. For information about her collaborative activities (art-poetry, math-poetry, translation), publications, and so on -- visit http://joannegrowney.com/.